# Problem Meerschaum Pipes: Myth or Legend?



## Mister Moo

So I read that several smokers are less than thrilled with their meers. I wonder why? Here is a place to reveal details about your perfect clay pipes or to whine about your problem meers and, I hope, find solutions to improve performance and enjoyment of your should-be _Wunderpipen_. They are some bright folks here who might have simple solutions or tune up ideas to obvious problems. Me? Apparently, through nothing more than dumb luck, I ended up with good pipes and had no idea so many folks were disappointed with meerschaum.

I smoke two regularly (pictured); the new meer-desian block has a huge bowl by my standards (7/8" x 2") and the pressed lattice measures a smaller 3/4" x 1 1/2". I own two others but they are not smoked very often; one is a '70s vintage Pioneer gourd/meer and the other a 40-year old carved buccaneer which, while fun to look at, is hard to hold or put down.










The two regulars are essentially ghostless and they aren't chronic gurglers. With tobak that's on the moist side they may need a few swabs/bowl but in most cases a smoke needs no more swabbing than I'd expect from a briar. I'm not obscessive about keeping the pipe walls scraped to near-clay. They get a rub with a looped bristle cleaner after every smoke or two and there is some slight cake buildup, less than 1mm. If something gets chunky-looking in the bowl I'll scrape it down with a pipe tool. Maybe that bit of cake moderates moisture some - I seem to recall the pipes were smoking wetter when new but I can't swear to it. Smoking quality for both pipes? I'd call them both very good in spite of the fact that the lattice has a smaller airway than the larger rhodesian. *Walker Briar* (for one) discusses restricted airflow common in meers and has a $16-$19 solution for what is often a $35 pipe. Maybe I have good luck with the lattice because I use it for VA tobak and tend to smoke

Each has needed a push-pull replacement over the past few years so I keep replacements for the inevitable repair. Otherwise, I like my meers and have no complaints.


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## Mr.Lordi

I have one meer, that cost me 50 bucks. I've only had a few minor problems with my meer. One, the inside of the bowl burned somehow, so now it always smells burnt, unless you smoke in it. two, the stem is loose and I don't know how to fix it.

I've not had any ghost problems with it that I can tell, and I've smoked Altadis Frosty Mint out of it.

Bowls on meers also always tend to be way to small. 

The one clay I have is awesome, except for the fact they pack oddly and I can never keep mine lit.


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## dmkerr

I have about 8 meers and none of them draw as good as they should, but the degrees are varying. I have an SMS oom paul shape that smokes the best (but they still pissed me off - see Indigo's post) and an IMP is a very close second. I have meers ranging in price from $50 - $300 or so.

I don't worry much about cake, either, and in fact, I think they smoke better with a little bit of carbonization. I don't allow it to get very thick, though.

Thanks for the link. I'm definitely going to check that out.


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## indigosmoke

Dan...great idea for a thread.

I didn't want to double post so I thought I'd put a link here to my post in another thread about my experiences with an SMS meerschaum.

The problems I was experiencing:
http://www.cigarforums.net/forums/v...how-many-pipes-do-you-need-3.html#post2695684

Response from SMS customer service here:
http://www.cigarforums.net/forums/v...how-many-pipes-do-you-need-4.html#post2695977


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## drastic_quench

Does Stanwell, Savinelli, or Peterson make a meer-lined briar pipe?

I'd like something I can take on trips or hiking and smoke it like a chimney, but don't have to worry over it staining like meer. I'm not interested in clay unfortunately.


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## AcworthAl

drastic_quench said:


> Does Stanwell, Savinelli, or Peterson make a meer-lined briar pipe?
> 
> I'd like something I can take on trips or hiking and smoke it like a chimney, but don't have to worry over it staining like meer. I'm not interested in clay unfortunately.


Peterson makes a nice looking one, but it is 200+ dollars


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## Hendu3270

Dang Moo!! Why you gotta start a Meer thread? I have enough pipes....must...resist....the.....temp..t....ati...on........










I'm ok now.


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## Mister Moo

Hendu3270 said:


> Dang Moo!! Why you gotta start a Meer thread?


It's about problem meers, Hens. Just disregard it entirely. Meers suck except for a few of mine.


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## HU1844SMOKER

I have 4 Meers and three of those will take me a hundred years to get a decent color on them while the one my girlfriend bought me a few years ago is coloring at a rapid pace. I like them and only smoke them holding the stems so I do not get fingerprints on them. Maybe I should smoke more often. I have a CAO that is really nice. Should upload some photos of them I guess.


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## Hendu3270

Mister Moo said:


> It's about problem meers, Hens. Just disregard it entirely. Meers suck except for a few of mine.


LOL


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## RJpuffs

I have one meer but don't smoke it much - the draw sucks (or doesn't, as the case is). I find the insert to be way to small for a good smoke. I forget what make it is, but its a plain small meer. Whistles too, probably bad drilling. And I find meers to be too delicate for my klutzy persona - at least a briar will bounce nicely all the way when dropped down a flight of concrete steps (been there, bounced that). Thonk-thonk-thonk-thonk quite a remarkable sound, briar meeting concrete.

To recap, I have one, don't care for it much, and probably will not get another. Unless it has a bovine relief carving, then, perhaps.


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## Mad Hatter

I have more than twelve meers. All are african meer which have a metal insert and a standard tenon just like a briar with the exception of an OomPoul Pioneer. All smoke just fine.


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## indigosmoke

What is African meer?


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## Requiem

drastic_quench said:


> Does Stanwell, Savinelli, or Peterson make a meer-lined briar pipe?
> 
> I'd like something I can take on trips or hiking and smoke it like a chimney, but don't have to worry over it staining like meer. I'm not interested in clay unfortunately.


I've been looking for a meer-lined too. Chacom as some for about £80, while Big Ben as a cheap range for about £25.


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## IKMeerschaum

indigosmoke said:


> What is African meer?


African Meerschaum differs from MOST meerschaum pipes in that the stone it is carved from comes from Africa rather than Turkey. You can find meerschaum in many places around the world including in Utah I've been told.

Turkish meerschaum however, is the best for pipe carving because it is much smoother and lighter than that found in other locations. African meerschaum in particular is fairly grainy and usually won't hold a smooth or intricately carved finish but has been used successfully in a lot of "rusticated" pipes.


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## IKMeerschaum

indigosmoke said:


> Dan...great idea for a thread.
> 
> I didn't want to double post so I thought I'd put a link here to my post in another thread about my experiences with an SMS meerschaum.
> 
> The problems I was experiencing:
> http://www.cigarforums.net/forums/v...how-many-pipes-do-you-need-3.html#post2695684
> 
> Response from SMS customer service here:
> http://www.cigarforums.net/forums/v...how-many-pipes-do-you-need-4.html#post2695977


Sorry to hear about the problem that you were experiencing with your meer. If you send me a PM with your email address, I'll send you a replacement teflon tenon to replace the failing one that is in the shank of your pipe. These are fairly universal (unless it is a really old pipe) and very simple for you to replace.

If the replacement tenon is still too loose, then you'll know that the problem is in the shank itself. Either the threads have failed or there is a crack in the shank that will need to be repaired. This can be accomplished by many pipe repair shops with either the addition of a silver band, or worse case, shortening the shank and redrilling it to accept a new tenon (this often requires a new, longer stem to be done properly).

Please don't hold your poor experience with the manufacturer against meerschaum pipes. While I'm a bit partial (ya think?), I truly prefer my trusty Cottom's Choice meer pipe over any of the briar's that I have.

MJG


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## indigosmoke

MJG,

What can I say but wow! What an amazing response.

I actually placed my first tobacco order with your firm (I had only smoked drug store brands and a few bulk blends up until that point) a few weeks ago and when I received my order I picked up the meer at a local shop as an impulse buy because I wanted a meer to smoke the new tobacco in. Thank you so much for the kind response and for the offer of help. I'll send you a PM with my details which I believe you'll find are already in your system.  Thanks again.

John


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## HU1844SMOKER

If anyone is interested check out my Meerschaum photos.


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## indigosmoke

HU1844SMOKER said:


> If anyone is interested check out my Meerschaum photos.


Very nice meers. Which brand?


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## Mister Moo

indigosmoke said:


> Very nice meers. Which brand?


Yeah. And what are the problems with them?


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## indigosmoke

IKMeerschaum said:


> If you send me a PM with your email address, I'll send you a replacement teflon tenon to replace the failing one that is in the shank of your pipe. These are fairly universal (unless it is a really old pipe) and very simple for you to replace.


Well, at this point I figured I didn't have much to lose so I went ahead and removed the plastic mortise from the stem. When I got it out I couldn't see any signs of damage so I started playing around fitting it to the stem. A little wiggling and jiggling and it was pretty obvious that the plastic tenon inside the stem was loose and moving around. I removed the plastic tenon per the instructions for cleaning the pipe on the SMS website, cleaned out the inside of the stem and reinserted the tenon. The tenon and mortise then seemed to mate fairly well so I reinserted the mortise in the stem and then gently reattached the stem to the shank. Everything seems to be lining up pretty well now, but I don't know how long it will last.

Do you sell any sort of replacement stem that might fit this meer?



IKMeerschaum said:


> Please don't hold your poor experience with the manufacturer against meerschaum pipes.


I won't. You've restored my faith in meer vendors! :clap2:


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## HU1844SMOKER

indigosmoke said:


> Very nice meers. Which brand?


I have one CAO, the rest are no name brands from various retailers. The darkest colored one my girlfriend bought me so that is my favorite of course.


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## Crazycoonass

My very 1st pipe was a small eagle claw meer I bought from my local tinderbox, although only a couple of months old its coloring nicely and smokes wonderfly although Ive colected about 6 or 7 briars, I still keep coming back to that little pipe, Im not shure the brand but it was 75$ and came with a short lucite stem and a longer volcanite churchwarden stem so I can change them whenever the mood suits, I think its still my favorite, though my Royal Danish runs a close 2nd.


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## Crazycoonass

Btw, I bought a set of 3 vintage meers off Ebay and managed to fix one of them, It had the double threaded bit and the stem would tighten but i couldnt get it to tighten strait, so I superglued the part that goes into the stem and it works fine, the only problem is that the pipe tastes absolutly horrid and for no reason I can figure out, aw well, it can join my other meer with the cracked bowl out on my knick knac shelf where I also put my Silver Overlay Medicos, there pretty to look at but I have better pipes tp smoke out of.


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## jcats

Based on my past experience, I will never buy from Altinok pipes again, ever. Some people may have better luck with him, but not me.


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## Mister Moo

jcats said:


> Based on my past experience, I will never buy from Altinok pipes again, ever. Some people may have better luck with him, but not me.


Are you referring to a pipe problem or a vendor problem?

Sounds like you bought a meer that leaves a bad taste in your mouth...


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## jcats

When the pipes arrived, it looked like they were carved by an apprentice and wasn't even finished properly... , they looked like different pipes when compared with pics from the web site.


Never again.


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## indigosmoke

jcats said:


> When the pipes arrived, it looked like they were carved by an apprentice and wasn't even finished properly... , they looked like different pipes when compared with pics from the web site.
> 
> Never again.


This is good to know. Thanks for the heads up. It's surprising what these companies think they can get away with in this Internet age.

This thread has been most useful. It was a great idea Moo Man!


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## Mister Moo

jcats said:


> When the pipes arrived, it looked like they were carved by an apprentice and wasn't even finished properly... , they looked like different pipes when compared with pics from the web site...


That is very unfortunate. While I'd like to believe they would replace or refund on request it's a shame that a delivery could be that much of a let down in the first place.


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## Alyks

The only problem I have with Meers is that I don't have enough of them.


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## jcats

Mister Moo said:


> That is very unfortunate. While I'd like to believe they would replace or refund on request it's a shame that a delivery could be that much of a let down in the first place.


I highlighted the problems to the vendor. He said that he never guarantee that the pipes would look like the photos. mg:

The whole experience has left a sour taste in my mouth and I found it exasperating dealing with such vendors.

" Never order a pipe that will be made to look like the photo leaves room for disappointment."

Lesson learned.

And my wife has the last laugh :heh:

I am glad this post has let me get it off my chest.


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## cherrymax

jcats,
Might wanna tell us the place so some of us newbies don't get the same "customer dis-service" as you have received.


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## Blaylock-cl

jcats said:


> Based on my past experience, I will never buy from Altinok pipes again, ever. Some people may have better luck with him, but not me.





cherrymax said:


> jcats,
> Might wanna tell us the place so some of us newbies don't get the same "customer dis-service" as you have received.


He stated that it was from Altinok. In defense of this vendor, I have purchased from them and had a positive experience. The pipe smokes great and the quality met my expectations. BTW...I'm wondering why you just didn't return it if you were unhappy with the quality?

They do have a 7 day customer return policy.


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## jcats

Blaylock said:


> ...I'm wondering why you just didn't return it if you were unhappy with the quality?
> 
> They do have a 7 day customer return policy.


I quote his email 
"... never guarantee that the pipes would look like the photos. ..."

When the parcel arrived, I was not in town, and it was already over a week. My first 2 pipes from him were okay. It was unfortunate that the second batch of pipes (7 pipes) were problematic.

My main peeve is that he would not take responsibility and offer an alternative or solution.

Anyway, hope you have better luck with your meer shopping.

As for me, I am done with meer pipes.


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## Sinan Altinok

I don't think it is about 'meer purchasing' at all. It is more about personality. My intention is not to start an argument here and sorry if it sounds rude. But, that's enough already. You have mentioned about it in every forum you are a member without requesting my plea. And now, you are saying the 7 (seven) pipes you bought were problematic!?? Sorry my friend, I cannot believe this. I have sent thousands of pipes to all over the world to date, none of my customers so far mentioned that the pipes were problematic. May be only a few would have liked to change the shape, stem etc, that's all. Besides, they all know that I'm definitely willing to fix any problem or change the pipe with a better one or refund in full if any of my pipes is problematic in the purchase.

To be exact, it was not 7 pipes in the order. Six pipes and one item was 0.5kg wax. You also requested for a private discount and 9mm filter modifications on all pipes. You got $87.34 discount and the filter rooms modification for free. After you have got the order in the mail, you sent me an email stating that one pipe didn't have a spare stem which should have been (my fault) and three others didn't have the exact dimensions as shown on the site. That's all what you had complained, hadn't you? I still have got all the emails you sent.

After long discussions, you have got my refusal to refund all four pipes(!) you bought, just because one spare stem was missing and three pipes didn't match the exact dimensions as shown the site. In every product page on my site, visitors can read the same notice: "Please note that the pipe measurings are not strict and may slightly vary". This is because, if the pipe was not in stock, we hand make the pipes to order using the best available block at that time. A meer block is NOT like a briar block. It's totally amorphous and the carver has to carve a pipe out of it. That's why we can't promise about the dimensions to be so exact. You, Mr Jcats, should have known this already because you bought another two pipes three months before a second order you placed.

After six months that our discussions had stopped, I wanted to stop my inner disquiet with you and show my goodwill too, I sent you an email and offered one of my classic pipes of your choice for free. You kindly refused it which is understandable. Right after that, in the Smokersforums board, you sent me a friendship request and I accepted happily. I thought we are making a good restart. But, for a while, I'm watching that you will never stop broadcasting it in one way. Remember, you put the same meal on the table again in Smokersforums recently. Then I posted in the same thread asking if you want to explain more. You chose to be silent.

Dear Jcats, please return all unused pipes. I'll refund in full after deducting the discount I gave you and 10% restocking fee. Sorry for the inconvenience anyway.

I apologize for wasting anyone's time who had to read all these. But, I had to jump in and say a few words for a defence of my business as it is based on promises and mutual understanding.

Best regards,
Sinan A. Altinok


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## Mister Moo

Sinan Altinok said:


> I don't think it is about 'meer purchasing' at all. It is more about personality... ...I had to jump in and say a few words for a defence of my business as it is based on promises and mutual understanding. Best regards, Sinan A. Altinok


I never heard a bad word about Altinok pipes or unresolved service issues before Jcats comments; what you said about personality is true - sometimes things just don't go right. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

So, problems with meerschaum pipes? Back to it...


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## RJpuffs

Mister Moo said:


> I never heard a bad word about Altinok pipes or unresolved service issues before Jcats comments; what you said about personality is true - sometimes things just don't go right. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
> 
> So, problems with meerschaum pipes? Back to it...


Has anyone 'xperimented and tried to put a "military" mount with a normal (i.e. larger airway) stem on a cranky meer? Eliminating the microscopic-airway tenon/mortise may make a world of difference.


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## Mad Hatter

RJpuffs said:


> Has anyone 'xperimented and tried to put a "military" mount with a normal (i.e. larger airway) stem on a cranky meer? Eliminating the microscopic-airway tenon/mortise may make a world of difference.


I did that to one of my cheap pressed blocks I bought early on in my pipe smoking career. Predictably, without the restriction of a smaller than 1/8" airway, it smoked much better.


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## Sinan Altinok

RJpuffs said:


> Has anyone 'xperimented and tried to put a "military" mount with a normal (i.e. larger airway) stem on a cranky meer? Eliminating the microscopic-airway tenon/mortise may make a world of difference.


For a while, we got rid of the tiny white plastic tenon/mortise fittings and start using German made briar teflon/delring fittings in our classic pipes. They provide a huge difference in smoking comfort as they have 4mm bore when compared 3mm plastic one.

Regards,
Sinan


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## RJpuffs

Mad Hatter said:


> I did that to one of my cheap pressed blocks I bought early on in my pipe smoking career. Predictably, without the restriction of a smaller than 1/8" airway, it smoked much better.


Pictures? How-to? My meer is being neglected due to asphyxiation. ipe:


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## RJpuffs

Sinan Altinok said:


> For a while, we got rid of the tiny white plastic tenon/mortise fittings and start using German made briar teflon/delring fittings in our classic pipes. They provide a huge difference in smoking comfort as they have 4mm bore when compared 3mm plastic one.
> 
> Regards,
> Sinan


Thats good to know, something else to look for in selecting my next meer :biggrin:


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## Mad Hatter

RJpuffs said:


> Pictures? How-to? My meer is being neglected due to asphyxiation. ipe:


Honestly RJ, being a cheap pipe I just removed the mortise insert and then cut the tenon on my stem to fit. True, the way it is could be delicate but it seems to be holding up pretty well. If a guy had tool experience or machining experience you could easily make a wooden insert with a tap and die set by tapping the shank and using the die to thread a wooden plug, glue and screw it in the shank and then drill the mortise afterwards to accommodate the proper tenon size. For that matter you could make the fitting from vulcanite, ie the remains of a stem that was cut down and reshaped, or you could buy the vulcanite inserts yourself. They sell them at pipe making etailer websites.

For that matter you could use one of the larger tenon/mortise setups of the usual sort and drill it out to a larger diameter. I have some of those and just went out to the shed and drilled one to a 9/64. It'll take a fluffy pipe cleaner now. If you have the know-how to remove the old set from your shank and stem I can send this to you as a replacement. The mortise insert has about a 7/16 thread and the tenon insert has about a 5/16 thread, might be metric but they fit my dies well enough to know we're in the ballpark (just so we know we're talking apples and apples).


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## MarkC

Mister Moo said:


> Thank you for sharing your thoughts.


Amen. You almost never get to see both sides of the issue in these internet discussions.


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## indigosmoke

I know it's a little off topic but I couldn't resist posting this when I came across it today. Sorry if you've all already seen it.


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## RJpuffs

Mad Hatter said:


> Honestly RJ, being a cheap pipe I just removed the mortise insert and then cut the tenon on my stem to fit. True, the way it is could be delicate but it seems to be holding up pretty well. If a guy had tool experience or machining experience you could easily make a wooden insert with a tap and die set by tapping the shank and using the die to thread a wooden plug, glue and screw it in the shank and then drill the mortise afterwards to accommodate the proper tenon size. For that matter you could make the fitting from vulcanite, ie the remains of a stem that was cut down and reshaped, or you could buy the vulcanite inserts yourself. They sell them at pipe making etailer websites.
> 
> For that matter you could use one of the larger tenon/mortise setups of the usual sort and drill it out to a larger diameter. I have some of those and just went out to the shed and drilled one to a 9/64. It'll take a fluffy pipe cleaner now. If you have the know-how to remove the old set from your shank and stem I can send this to you as a replacement. The mortise insert has about a 7/16 thread and the tenon insert has about a 5/16 thread, might be metric but they fit my dies well enough to know we're in the ballpark (just so we know we're talking apples and apples).


Removing the old tenon thingie is easy, I remove it to scrub out the gunk sometimes. Getting something else into that space, now that may be a challenge. I have pipe bits laying around from experimentation, will do a frankenstein assembly attempt ipe:


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## indigosmoke

I just wanted to post an update on my SMS meer. Since I disassembled and reassembled the mortise and tenon (see my posts in the other thread) the pipe aligns reasonably well and has held up so far. I'm still not thrilled with their warranty policies (only provide warranty if bought directly from their website and only warranty the bowl, etc). As this thread has demonstrated, IMO there are manufacturers who do a much better job of supporting their customers (Altinok & Tobacco Barn, for example) and when I purchase meers in the future I will do so from these manufacturers/importers. However, to be fair, I wanted to update the pipe's status as far as quality goes so that everyone has all the facts and can decide for themselves.


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## jamesstew

I have an old Pioneer meerschaum bulldog that never smoked well. A few weeks ago I snapped the tenon on it. I shipped it to nightowl pipeworks and Ron there created a new vulcanite stem with a stainless steel tenon. A mortise insert was epoxied in and the whole pipe was opened to 4mm. It is now one of my best pipes bar-none.


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## MarkC

This is off topic a bit, but how do you guys store your meerschaums? I've never had one; closest I came was a gourd calabash decades ago that had it's own stand. I mean, do you just keep them in the case, or put them in your pipe rack or what? If the latter, does the pipe rack hurt the resting point of the pipe at all? Excuse my ignorance...


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## IKMeerschaum

indigosmoke said:


> I just wanted to post an update on my SMS meer. Since I disassembled and reassembled the mortise and tenon (see my posts in the other thread) the pipe aligns reasonably well and has held up so far. I'm still not thrilled with their warranty policies (only provide warranty if bought directly from their website and only warranty the bowl, etc). As this thread has demonstrated, IMO there are manufacturers who do a much better job of supporting their customers (Altinok & Tobacco Barn, for example) and when I purchase meers in the future I will do so from these manufacturers/importers. However, to be fair, I wanted to update the pipe's status as far as quality goes so that everyone has all the facts and can decide for themselves.


Thanks for the update and the kind words IndigoSmoke. I'm glad you were able to resolve some of your problems with your pipe!


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## Mister Moo

MarkC said:


> This is off topic a bit, but how do you guys store your meerschaums? I've never had one; closest I came was a gourd calabash decades ago that had it's own stand. I mean, do you just keep them in the case, or put them in your pipe rack or what? If the latter, does the pipe rack hurt the resting point of the pipe at all? Excuse my ignorance...


The calabash stays mounted in the original box to prevent accidental smashage and keep dust off; the little guys are either being smoked or they're closed up in their clamshell cases.

I don't think much of the long-term prospects for a meer sitting out on one of my pipe stands. Something awful would happen; four kids, three cats, a barely pipe-conscious spouse (that would be Mrs. Moo) and my own clumsiness would doom them to chipping or worse after a while.


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## MarkC

Thanks; I was beginning to suspect that I'd asked a question too stupid to be answered or something...  I'm in the early stages of convincing myself that I have to have a meerschaum (I've seen the signs before; three months max and I'll have one, even if I think it's just a possibility right now!). Next dumb question: how are you supposed to smoke the thing if you aren't supposed to touch it? The calabash was no problem; just hold the gourd. I can't see holding a pipe by the mouthpiece as I daintily smoke.


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## indigosmoke

MarkC said:


> Next dumb question: how are you supposed to smoke the thing if you aren't supposed to touch it? The calabash was no problem; just hold the gourd. I can't see holding a pipe by the mouthpiece as I daintily smoke.


Here is what they have to say on the Altinok website:

_Can I smoke my Meerschaum pipe the same way I smoke my briar pipes?

No. One of the fascinating qualities of Meerschaum is its ability to change color from white to golden to a deep reddish brown. This results from the oil in the tobacco and wax on the outside of the bowl. If it is smoked too fast or too hot, the wax may melt down and only the base will color. Do not touch the bowl with your hands when the pipe is warm. The softened wax may cling to your fingers and the pipe will color in blotches. However, some pipe smokers prefer Meerschaum for its smoking properties, rather than for its ability to change color. If the coloring is not of importance, then, of course the Meerschaum can be handled and smoked in the normal manner. Note: Some manufactures produced antiquing or re-wax kits that can be used to touch up a Meerschaum pipe._

On the other hand meerschaumpipes.com says this:

_The key to coloring your pipe is to SMOKE YOUR PIPE! Smoke it frequently. One common technique to color your Meerschaum pipe is to smoke it as many times a day as you can for two weeks and then set it aside for a period of time. The pipe should feel heavier since it will have absorbed all sorts of fluids. Letting it sits allows the wax coating to draw the color out to the surface where you want it. _

_Don't worry about touching your pipe's bowl with your bare hands UNLESS your hands are dirty or you have gotten the bowl too hot too touch. The former will cause staining as the wax pulls the dirt off your hands while the latter may allow fingerprints to get embedded in the bowl. However, you should never get your pipe too hot to hold (see below). _

_The cooler the bowl (the wax actually) remains, the better its ability to draw the color out torwards the surface of the pipe. If you smoke your pipe too hot, the wax may be driven off the pipe, causing it to no longer pull color to the surface of the bowl. _

While smokingpipes.com has this to offer:

_*Concerning 'Coloring':*
One of the joys of owning and smoking a meerschaum pipe is watching it slowly change color, from a milky white to a dark brown. When you first get a meerschaum pipe, be careful that your hands are clean as you smoke it for the first few times. Meerschaum pipes are coated in beeswax which aids in the coloring process and protects the brittle meerschaum. As the pipe heats during smoking (and be careful not to get it too hot) the beeswax melts. If your hands are dirty, the beeswax will pick up that dirt. Though some suggest not touching the bowl of a meerschaum pipe while smoking it, I think this is a little extreme. Just take care that your hands are clean and dry._

_*A sample 'Coloring' regimen:*
There are many different ways to go about coloring your meerschaum pipe, but one of the simplest is as follows:
Smoke your meerschaum several times a day for about two weeks. Unlike a briar pipe, meerschaums do not need long periods of rest between smokes, and can safely be smoked multiple times in a day. Do, however, allow the pipe to cool between bowls. After this two weeks, your meerschaum should be noticeably heavier than when you began, owing to the amount of tars and oils now trapped inside the meerschaum. Put your meerschaum aside for a period of about one month. During this time, the beeswax will wick the tars and oils towards the surface of the pipe, coloring it in the process. Repeat and enjoy!_

I'll be curious to see what Mr. Moo and others here have to report.


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## MarkC

I wish I could say I that I didn't care about the coloring and just wanted to smoke the thing, but I remember the bowl of that calabash turning golden, and it gives me a warm feeling...


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## indigosmoke

I know some people wear white gloves while smoking their meers...but it would make me feel too much like a butler. Excuse me Jeeves, where did you put the Frog Morton?


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## IKMeerschaum

MarkC said:


> This is off topic a bit, but how do you guys store your meerschaums? I've never had one; closest I came was a gourd calabash decades ago that had it's own stand. I mean, do you just keep them in the case, or put them in your pipe rack or what? If the latter, does the pipe rack hurt the resting point of the pipe at all? Excuse my ignorance...


My calabash sits out in it's own stand but then I don't have kids running around the house any more.

My meers are either in their original hard case or in my soft pipe case that I keep in my briefcase (along with lighter, tools, some 'baccy and cleaners).

I would imagine that over time you might end up wearing the wax and perhaps some of the stone over time where the pipe touches on the wood stand.

The only thing to keep in mind is that you should NOT put your pipe back into your case (especially if the lining is colored) if the pipe is still hot. This can burn the lining or worse, wick off the wax to the case (see IndigoSmoke's quotes about wax and coloring your pipe).


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## IKMeerschaum

MarkC said:


> Next dumb question: how are you supposed to smoke the thing if you aren't supposed to touch it? The calabash was no problem; just hold the gourd. I can't see holding a pipe by the mouthpiece as I daintily smoke.


The only dumb question is one left unasked...

At the risk of sounding self-serving, JUST SMOKE IT... So long as you haven't been changing the oil in your car or reading the morning newspaper, we are of the mind that there is no problem with touching the pipe with your hands. To a certain extent, the oil from your hands might actually help encourage the coloring process (albeit not necessarily evenly).

Originally I had been told that the whole (wear a glove when smoking a meer) was concocted by a certain pipe manufacturer that has left the pipe space after their cigar portion of the company was acquired by a large conglomerate. I was told this was a way to make more recurring revenue (selling gloves that don't last as long as the pipes).

I've since found ads dating back to the turn of the century of people selling pipe smoking gloves for meerschaum pipes. My guess is that this might have been more of a requirement back in the day when the pipes were sealed not with wax but with sperm whale oil (which would get pretty messy when it gets too hot). Unfortunately I haven't found any literature to back this up yet

'course I'll have to 'fess up that I wrote the text that appears on MeerschaumPipes.com so perhaps you might want wait and hear from other "real" meer smokers and not just someone who sells them (and smokes them regularly).

Here's a picture of my favorite meer which gets touched everytime it is smoked (the middle one):

It is quite a bit darker now as this picture is about a year old...

And a story about a meer that we acquired that had been in regular use up until recently for 140 years!
Coloring Meerschaum Pipes

Light 'em up boys!


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## MarkC

IKMeerschaum said:


> And a story about a meer that we acquired that had been in regular use up until recently for 140 years!
> Coloring Meerschaum Pipes
> 
> Light 'em up boys!


That is amazing; I've never seen a meer that dark. It's beautiful!


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## IKMeerschaum

MarkC said:


> That is amazing; I've never seen a meer that dark. It's beautiful!


And the picture doesn't do it justice. The depth and range of colors is just fascinating. It sits in a prized location in our shop for all to admire.

It is great to have this piece of history available to share with new pipe smokers when we are extolling the virtues of meerschaum pipes and what they can attain with about 140 years of smoking. After all, the surgeon general's report (or at least an early one) indicated that pipe smokers live longer than the general population!

MJG


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## Mister Moo

indigosmoke said:


> I'll be curious to see what Mr. Moo and others here have to report.


I just smoke mine. I don't handle them if my hands are nasty and I don't smoke them so the wax gets sticky. If they darken nicely that's great and if not, that's OK.

From what I've read a lot of people buy meers with expectations they'll darken in about 45-minutes. Some put them in little boxes and heat them up and blow smoke in on them; others report boiling them in milk; and some do wax redipping all with the aim of accelerating the darkening process. Some meers are sold pre-darkened. White gloves...


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## Crazycoonass

No no no... lol I just smoke mine, havent so much since Ive gotten a full rotation of briar pipes, at this rate Ill never finish coloring it.


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## cp478

i just wanted to chime in and say thank you to IKmeerschaum. he is a great BOTL and it seems his store and prices are good too.
Buy from 1000's of Cigars, Lighters, Tobacco Pipes & Pipe Tobacco
Check it out!


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## indigosmoke

I received a replacement mortise insert for my problem SMS meer today. This mortise was kindly provided by IKMeerschaum. I replaced the original defective mortise with the new one from Tobacco Barn and the difference is amazing. The stem attaches firmly and the entire pipe seems more rigid. What surprises me even more is how much the draw has improved! Apparently there air have been a leaking out around the mortise/tenon joint or perhaps between the shank and the mortise insert. In any case, the pipe smokes looks, and feels much better than it ever did even when new. Thanks again IKM for all your help!


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## IKMeerschaum

Thanks you both Charlie and John for the kind words. 

I'm glad that something as simple as the replacement mortices could resolve the problem you were both having with your meers!

MJG


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## indigosmoke

IKMeerschaum said:


> Thanks you both Charlie and John for the kind words.
> 
> I'm glad that something as simple as the replacement mortices could resolve the problem you were both having with your meers!
> 
> MJG


Thanks again for taking the time and trouble to send me the replacement!

John


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